SPA News

Alumni Maintain a Spirit of Service as AU Volunteers

By Melissa Bevins '02

April 5, 2013

Elliot Bell-Krasner, SPA/MPP '12, addresses the crowd at an AU event.

If you have attended an American University alumni event recently, chances are good that you came into contact with one of our many dedicated alumni volunteers. Over the past three years, the number of alumni volunteers at American University has tripled, and the hard work put in by volunteers continues to be critical to many campus programs.

American University students are an active group. Walking across campus on any given day you will find many groups tabling, holding events, and raising money for various causes. It’s no wonder so many alumni feel a pull to volunteer with AU after graduation. Some volunteers enjoy it so much, they end up working with multiple programs and getting involved in many aspects of alumni programming. Two outstanding examples are Elliot Bell-Krasner, SPA/MPP ’12 and Jolene McNeil, SPA/BA ’97.

Elliot Bell-Krasner currently serves as an at-large member of the D.C. Young Alumni Chapter board, as well as an Alumni Admissions Volunteer. In his roles, Elliot has an opportunity to interact with prospective and incoming students, as well as with recent graduates of the university. As a student, Elliot was active with the Graduate Leadership Council, serving as Executive Chair for his final year of graduate school. He thoroughly enjoyed being an active student and said he “enjoys the opportunity to keep alumni connected band instill a continued sense of pride in American University.”

Jolene McNeil currently serves as the chair of AU’s Black Alumni Alliance, as well as an Alumni Admissions Volunteer. Additionally, Jolene served on the reunion committee for her class reunion last year. When asked to describe herself as a student, Jolene says she was “involved in everything,” and she has continued that tradition post-graduation. As chair of the Black Alumni Alliance, Jolene is focused on creating more opportunities for alumni to reconnect with AU and is excited about the many opportunities available to connect alumni with current students. “I know how important alumni are for students, and I want to help them make those connections,” Jolene said.

The office of alumni relations is always looking for new volunteers, both in Washington, D.C. and outside of the area. For more information on volunteer opportunities, or to sign up to be a volunteer, visit the volunteer section of our webpage.